Ring in 2026: Exciting New Year’s Eve events in Cape Town

Cape Town, like the rest of the world, is preparing to ring in the New Year, with the Mother City offering a packed programme of events to help residents and visitors welcome 2026 in style.

The Cape Malay Road March will usher in the New Year with traditional Malay music, drums and marching as choirs take to the streets of the Cape Town CBD on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

The procession will set off from Rose Street in Bo-Kaap at 8:30pm, move along Wale Street and conclude in Adderley Street. The event is expected to end at about 4:00am on Thursday, 1 January 2026. It is free to attend, and spectators can line Rose Street, Wale Street and Adderley Street to enjoy the performances.

To accommodate the march and ensure public safety, several CBD roads will be closed from 5:00pm on 31 December until 4:00am on 1 January. Wale Street will be closed between Pentz Street and Adderley Street, and also between Bloem Street and Longmarket Street. Adderley Street will be closed between Wale Street and Darling Street, and again between Burg Street and Longmarket Street.

Queen Victoria Street will be closed between Wale Street and Bloem Street. Long Street will be closed between Church Street and Wale Street, while Loop Street and Bree Street will both be closed between Church Street and Wale Street. Rose Street will be closed between Wale Street and Strand Street. Spin Street will be closed between Adderley Street and Parliament Street. Burg Street will be closed between Church Street and Adderley Street.

The road closures will impact the MyCiTi service in the inner city. Commuters are advised to check the MyCiTi website for details on service disruptions.

Music lovers can also welcome the New Year at the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert, where iconic South African band Mango Groove, joined by The Billy Joel Experience, will perform at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Gates open at 7:00pm, with the concert starting at 8:30pm, offering an upbeat and nostalgic evening under the shadow of Table Mountain. Tickets are available via Webtickets.

Cricket fans are in for New Year’s Eve action at Newlands Cricket Ground, where MI Cape Town take on the Pretoria Capitals in an SA20 clash. The reigning champions will look to maintain their unbeaten home record from last season. The match starts at 5:30pm, with gates opening three hours earlier. General parking is available at Groote Schuur Primary on Campground Road and Groote Schuur High School on Palmyra Road. Tickets can be purchased via the MI Cape Town website.

The V&A Waterfront will once again host one of Cape Town’s most popular New Year’s Eve celebrations, offering a free, family-friendly event. Live performances are scheduled from 6:00pm, featuring artists including Emo & Loukmaan Adams, Zoë Modiga, GoodLuck, DJ Shezzy K and the Starlight Band.

High pedestrian and traffic volumes are expected around the CBD and the Waterfront. Motorists are advised to expect congestion on Nelson Mandela Boulevard, FW De Klerk Boulevard, Buitengracht Street, Walter Sisulu Avenue, Portswood Road, Dock Road, Beach Road, Somerset Road, Helen Suzman Boulevard and Green Point Main Road, among others, and to consider using public transport where possible.

Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.

Cape Argus